report in The Frontier Post, Nov 20, 2023
KABUL : According to reports, so far, approximately 450,000 Afghan migrants have voluntarily returned to the country from Iran to address the issue of illegal immigration.
Tasnim news agency, citing Javad Khani, the official in charge of managing illegal migrants at the National Organization for Migration, has reported that there is a possibility of approximately four million illegal migrants being present in the country.
According to this Iranian official, 92% of illegal Afghan migrants in Iran are located in eight major cities, including Tehran, Sistan and Baluchistan, Khorasan Razavi, Qom, Kerman, Yazd, Fars, and Alborz.
He emphasized that one million illegal migrants in the country have received identity cards to date.
This Iranian authority considers border closures as one of the main policies of the National Organization for Migration, and the process of expelling illegal migrants began initially in the parliament and has been further expanded through the Supreme National Security Council.
Additionally, Javad Khani pointed out that the majority of migrants in Iran are Afghan citizens, and efforts to organize individuals without proper documentation have begun. Identity cards will soon be distributed to them.
This comes as, according to reports, approximately five million Afghan migrants are living in Iran.
Previously, the expulsion of Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan has faced international reactions, with international organizations calling for the halt of their expulsion.
https://thefrontierpost.com/more-than-400000-afghan-migrants-return-home-from-iran/
